Sewing frame



March 11, 1947. E. BEATON SEWING FRAME Filed April 23, 1946 I uvmvroze.EZaZne Beafon Patented Mar. 11, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF ICE SEWINGFRAME Elaine Beaten, Chicago, Ill.

Application April 23, 1946, serial No. 664,273

4 Claims.

My invention relates to articles or devices that may be characterized assewing frames, or accessories to facilitate sewing by hand, where it isfound most convenient to have the material being sewed held securely inplace with the portions or edges to be sewed, clamped and held inalignment so as to facilitate the hand sewing operation.

An important object of my invention is to provide a sewing frame of theaforementioned character, which has a transparent top surface, and isequipped with illuminating means therebelow furnishing illuminationbelow the material being operated upon, so as to indicate whether theedges being operated upon are in correct and desired superimposedrelationship.

A further object of my invention is to provide clamping means,operatively disposed on the sides of the frame-work comprising myinvention, which is readily manipulatable so that respective portions ofthe material operated upon can be instantaneously and readily bothclamped and released.

A still further object of my invention is to produce an article of theaforementioned character which is practical in its construction, usefuland convenient for the purposes to be attained thereby, which is also ofsuch simple construction as to permit manufacture thereof economicallyin quantity production.

Other features, advantages and objects embraced in my invention willbecome readily apparent to those killed in the art, and familiar withthe difficulties encountered in hand-sewing operations; the device beingsuitably illustrated in the accompanying drawing, further referred to inthe description following, wherein like numerals denote like parts, andin which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an operator having my invention set upconveniently for handsewing operations.

Fig. 2 is a front View of my invention.

Fig. 3 is a top view of my invention.

Fig. 4 is an end view of my invention.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken, substantially, on the line 5-5of Fig. 3.

Referring to the various views, at Fig. 1, my device is, generally,designated 6 and is shown held in the lamp of a person engaged in sewingportions of a garment by hand. The device is illustrated more clearly inFigs. 2, 3,4 and 5, where the detailed elemental structure thereof ismore specifically set forth and illustrated.

My invention consists of a frame-work general- 1y designated 1, which iscomposed of the side elements i2 and I3 forming a rectangularframe-work, the said elements I2 and I3 being secured by glueing,nailing or other similar fastening means to render the same rigid. 5 Thetop portion of the finished frame-work 1 is preferably channeled out asindicated at 8, in order to form a suitable seat for the transparentwindow element .9 made of glass or other suitable refractory material.The glass is held in place removably by a bezel or frame l which issecured to the frame-work l by virtue of screw II or other similarfastenings. The lower portions of the element [2 are provided withslideways M in which is siidably operable the bottom l of the unitframe-work.

Within the confines, and between the transparent top element 9 and thebottom l5 are mounted one or moresocket elements 20, which are equippedand adapted to receive the fluorescent lights or bulbs 2iinterchangeably secured therein. The socket elements are connectedthrough proper electrical wiring means to the switch element 22, havinga switching button or control 3|, and having secured thereto a length ofwire 23, terminating in an electrical plug 24, which may be secured to awall receptacle or other source of electrical supply, in order to permitlighting the fluorescent lights 2! for actual use.

A garment such as the skirt 25 indicated in Fig. 1, being secured, forexample, to the waist portion 26 by means of the intermediate belt 21,is first placed on my frame-work, whereby one of the edges thereof isclamped in one of the clamping elements 3|] on one side of my invention.The pieces are then carefully superimposed so that enough material isover-lapped at the edges as indicated at 28 and 29, at which time thematerials so held in superimposition and alignment are stretched tautlyover the top window 9, while the portions thereof, disposed oppositelyto the initial clamping element, are then also clamped by the matingclamping structure on the opposite side of the frame-work.

The material is then considered set up so that the operator or workermay continue to attach the edges 28 and 29 by suitable stitching, plyingthe needle from right to left, or left to right, as the case maynecessitate.

rangement are, preferably, composed of an arouately-shaped springportion [6, having an extended flange ll securable to the side frameelement I2 by means of screws or other similar fastenings 18. The upperportion of the arcuately- The clamping structures utilized in myarformed portion it rests on a clamping blade 39 which runs across theentire clamp structure, and terminates in a manipulating handle l9 whichis inserted through a suitable slotted opening in the arcuate portionIt.

Normally the clamp assumes the position indicated in Fig. 5, By pressingthe manipulating handle i9 toward the frame-work, the engaging orclamping blade portion 39 is separated from the surface of the side ifpermitting insertion of material thereinto for clamping purposes, yetwhen the manipulating handle I9 is released, and the arcuate springelement i6 is caused to assume its normal clamping position, thematerial is firmly held.

If it is desired to see more clearly the alignment of the edges 29 and28, the switch may be operated to the on position in order to light upthe fluorescent light. As is customarily done when sewing items of thistype, there is frequent necessity for holding materials up to the lightto assure of the registration, or alignment of the edges being properlyfolded over so that the stitching will combine, and unite the edgesbeing sewed.

With my invention, that step is eliminated, which is a source ofinconvenience. In using my device the materials at all times are clearlyvisible, whether the materials are in proper superimposition, so thatthe sewing operation is continuous, and no disturbance is caused by theneed for frequent examination preliminary to sewing, that is, occasionedwhen sewing on materials not supported on a frame-work such as myinvention.

The draping of the material over the straight glass top surface of mysewing frame or accessory is also an advantage, in that operators sewingby hand frequently resort to placing such items on a table where thematerials shift about,

and are not conveniently held. The clamping feature in conjunction withthe light source permeating or passing through the portion beingoperated upon of the material being. sewed together, and the convenienceof holding the said frame-work on the lap of the worker, or operator,are decided advantages which will make hand sewing more efficient, moreconvenient, expediting the work to a great extent.

I believe I have herein described and revealed rather succinctly thenature of the construction and operation, and utility of my sewing frameinvention, and inasmuch as the same is susceptible of modifications,alterations and improvements, I hereby reserve the right to all suchmodifications, alterations and improvements that come within the scopeand spirit of my invention, as well as those that are impliably andsuggestively embraced in the accompanying drawings, and also those thatmay fall within the purview of the foregoing description; my inventionto be limited only by the subjoined claims.

Having thus described and revealed my invention, what I claim as novel,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A sewing frame comprising, a frame-work, a bottom slidably secured tothe said framework, a transparent window secured at the top of saidframe-work, lighting means interchangeably secured below the saidwindow, spring-actuated clamping means secured to the said frame-workand disposed on opposite sides thereof, a switch secured to the saidframe-work, electrical connecting means connecting the said switch tothe said lighting means, and secondary electrical connecting meanssecured to the said switch adapted to be connected to an electricalsource of supply.

2. A sewing frame comprising, a frame-work,

a bottom slidably secured to the said framework, a transparent windowsecured at the top of said frame-work, a bezel element securing the saidtransparent window at the top of said framework providing a flushsupporting surface for work to be performed thereupon, lighting meansinterchangeably secured below the said window, spring actuated clampingmeans secured to the said frame-work and disposed on opposite sidesthereof, a switch secured to the said framework, electrical connectingmeans connecting the said switch to the said lighting means, andsecondary electrical connecting means secured to the said switch adaptedto be connected to an electrical source of supply.

3. A sewing frame comprising, a frame-work, a bottom slidably secured tothe said framework, a transparent window secured at the top of the saidframe-work, lamp sockets mounted within the said frame-work below thesaid window, fluorescent lighting means interchangeably secured to thesaid lamp sockets, spring actuated clamping means secured to the saidframe-work and disposed on opposite sides thereof, a switch secured tothe said frame-work, electrical connecting means connecting the saidswitch to the said lighting means, and secondary electrical connectingmeans secured to the said switch adapted to be connected to anelectrical source of supply.

4. A sewing frame comprising, a frame-work, a bottom slidably secured tothe'said frame-work, a transparent window secured at the top of the saidframe-work, a bezel element securing the said transparent window to thetop of said frame-work providing a flush supporting surface for work tobe performed thereupon, lighting means interchangeably secured below thesaid window, spring-actuated clampingmeans secured to the saidframe-work and disposed on opposite sides thereof, a switch secured tothe said frame-work, electrical connecting means connecting the saidswitch to the said lighting means,' and secondary electrical connectingmeans secured to the said switch adapted to be connected to anelectrical source of supply.

ELAINE BEATON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,034,529 Olsen Mar. 17, 19361,192,578 Sonnenberg July 25, 1916 1,892,077 Reardon Dec, 27, 19321,892.268 Flockhart Dec. 27, 1932 806,739 Fuilard Dec. 5, 1905

